I like flea markets and power tools, parties and pillows. I’m a mommy and a decorator, and a diehard DIYer. Join me and my little family as we renovate our new (old) home with lots of love and plenty of elbow grease.

Heirloom Button Art

When my Grandma passed away about a year ago, her granddaughters were able to chose some of her jewelry to keep and remember her by. I picked a couple pairs of earrings and a brooch that belonged to her mother, my great grandmother, and a tin full of really old buttons.

I already had a few buttons that belonged to my dad's mom, so I was excited to have a collection from both sides of my family. I'm sentimental about family things, so I knew I'd want to do something with these old buttons rather than hide them away.

My amazing sister, Ali, was visiting us this week and I thought this would be a fun project for us to tackle together. We pulled out the buttons late one night, when Evie woke up. I got her out of bed and let her join us for a bit. She was so excited by these buttons!

After Evie went back to bed, Ali and I got busy arranging the buttons on this interesting white burlap. It's mounted on heavy paper and I've never seen anything like it (I got it at Bettertex fabrics in SoHo). It a nice heavy weight and the color is interesting with the white fibers on the yellow paper. I'm sure a stiff burlap or a grasscloth would work similarly.

I cut the fabric down to size and ironed it flat. Then we arranged the buttons by color in horizontal lines, but tried to be a little loose about placement so that it didn't look overly thought out.

The top row is green, then yellows/golds, two rows of whites and creams, blues, blacks/browns/purples and then reds/pinks.

Many of the buttons had old bits of thread still in the button holes and I kept these. For contrast Ali and I threaded some of the buttons with colorful thread.

Then we cheated and fabric glued all the buttons in place. It would have taken ages to sew them all down and it would have been tricky to get the placement and spacing right. Using Fabritac to secure the buttons took about 10 minutes total and they are all holding very well.

After the glue dried, I framed the buttons in an old aluminum frame from the 60s that I got at a flea market for $1. The artwork it used to hold was nasty, but I loved the frame and thought I could change out the art. It was the perfect size for this project! Framing can be really expensive, so whenever you are at a thrift store or a flea market, keep an eye out for well made frames in standard sizes that can be reused.

I'm happy with the way this easy project came out. I like that it is colorful and has great texture. And I love that it is something that can be studied. There are lots of pretty and unique buttons. Many of them are connected to childhood memories I have of my grandmothers.

For now, I put the button art in a gallery wall arrangement above the dining table.

This space is still very much a work in process, but the buttons are a fun, graphic addition. Seeing them every day makes me smile.

What a cute project. I wasn't sure about the buttons since I'm not much of a buttons kind of gal but I love how it looks in your collage. You made it a bit fresh and modern, how about that! Thanks for the idea.

I can't believe it's been almost a year now. I Love this idea to showcase button and what a great way to tell your kids about their great-grandmas. Happy and simple. and I'm sure grandma would love it, too. : )

Love this concept, and it could be done with many different types of heirloom pieces, such as broaches, hairpins, or even beads. I see it as a a modern twist on quilting, by combining individual heirloom pieces you have created one beautiful, cohesive piece. Great idea and thanks for sharing!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?! Why haven't you done a post yet on the wall art in the dinning room?!?! I am sooooooo in love with gallery layout! OK, I don't think that I can make it through two weeks till I move out there!

BTW I love this project. I think that it's the perfect way to remember the Grandmas.

Fantastic idea. My grandma also passed away in the fall and I asked for some of her buttons! She had a fantastic collection of gorgeous mother-of-pearl buttons. I should get a shadow box and do the same!

Thanks for the idea. Love your gallery wall by the way! {and that lumbar pillow on your sofa - gorgeous!}

Wonderful! I love how you took the antique buttons and made the whole thing look so modern and fresh by color blocking them and putting them in the simple silver frame. Gorgeous! I have my grandma's buttons, too. I love them so much; I might just have to copy this idea.

I love it. What a wonderful idea. I may take your lead. Could be fun to do with my granddaughter. I also love your wall of art. I have to get busy and hang some pictures (old and not so old) that I have recently had framed. They hold many memories and need to be on the wall rather than stored in a closet. Thanks for the push.

My grandmother passed away recently, and she did the same with us girls. we got to draw straws for her jewelry. I got a beautiful collection of her pins. I did something very simmilar to what you made! It is a great way to remember those whom we love.

Hi Jenny. This is such a great idea and a wonderful way to remember special loved ones. I also have to say that Evie is the cutest little gal! I had to smile when I saw those pictures of her playing with the buttons!

This looks darling! But, lovingly, I have to tell you that those buttons are choking hazards for your sweet baby. Those little darlings can put tiny objects in their mouth before you even realize it. (Sorry, not trying to scold, just the mother in me.)

Thanks for your concern, Carey! We don't normally have small objects like this in Evie's reach and we know buttons are not toys. She was being monitored very closely for the two or three minutes that we let her touch and look at the pieces.

I love this! A friend and I were just talking about how delightful that tin of buttons that our mothers & grandmothers always had. I forwarded the post to inspire a project with them. Thanks for the great idea!

Ok, seriously now...best idea EVAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I could do this. Growing up, I remember hanging out in my Mimi's (my grandmother) sewing room while she sewed. She had a built in with cabinets that had mason jars full of ribbons and buttons. She tells me now, since she has moved, she has no idea where those are. Makes me so sad. I would love to have them! I would love to frame this this way:)

OMG - When I was little, I played with my great-grandmother's button collection ALL THE time! I think it fostered my love of crafting. I used to sort by size, color . . . I have great memories of that collection! This art is awesome. And that baby is ridiculously cute!

I LOVE your wall!! How do you decide which pieces get to go on there? And how do you hang them all so straight and evenly? I've tried to do something similar but it is no where near as lovely as our wall. Bravo!